I just love watching the French Open. The loud French crowd, the sipping of French champagne, the red clay courts offering exciting tennis. This tournament is usually scheduled for May, but due to the world-wide pandemic, the tournament was moved to the month of October and crowds are limited to a thousand people per day.
Yes, watching tennis at Roland Garros is still on my bucket list. Who does not want to visit Paris, the City of Lights. I imagine taking strolls along the River Seine, visiting world-famous landmarks and museums and eating buttery croissants and syrupy french toast at an outdoor cafe.
Until then, I have to be satisfied with the daily broadcasts of matches played. Between the seven rounds needed for a championship, the slow-playing surface and the best-of-five-set men’s singles matches, the event is widely considered to be the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world. And these two weeks demand many cups of coffee, quick easy meals and a plate of the best baked french toast for breakfast ( or even lunch)! Yes, French Toast for the French Open!
I don’t mean to brag, I don’t mean to boast
But I am intercontinental when I eat French Toast.
Mike D.
Golden caramelized toasts on the outside; creamy soft and pillowy on the inside with the perfect cinnamon syrup in every mouthful. All of the flavours of your favorite French toast made easy in a baking dish? YES, I’ll take it! It is game, set,match!
So on this Monday afternoon, I am using the left over bread from the weekend and preparing ( while I am watching Djokovic play!) this delicious and easy baked french toast.
No dipping or flipping or frying, comfort food doesn’t get any better than throwing it in the oven. Imagine a dish full of warm and custardy French toast on this weekday morning… while watching nail biting tennis. And drinking another cup of coffee ( or maybe a glass of French champagne). Recipe on page 2.
Best Baked French Toast
INGREDIENTS
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices ( or any bread you have in your pantry)
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
I love nuts.
So add a cup of chopped almond or pecan nuts before baking. It adds that extra crunch.
And if you love chocolate, spread a tablespoon of Nutella on each slice of bread before placing it in your baking dish.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of bread in the bottom.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes until it emerges puffed and golden.
Serve with a big glug of maple syrup, fresh berries or stoned fruit and a dust of icing sugar.
Tell me what you eat and I tell you who you are.
French Proverb